


The True Champion

by Merlin0720



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: F/M, Friendship, Night Terrors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-03
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23465926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merlin0720/pseuds/Merlin0720
Summary: The seven are on a quest to protect Harry Potter during the triwizard tournament. They are posing as a fourth wizarding school, but how long can that really last? Harry just wants a normal year, but that isn't about to happen. Which of the seven will compete alongside him and how will the rest react when things start to go wrong?Follows HoO series, set in HP4
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Jason Grace/Piper McLean
Comments: 14
Kudos: 99





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!! First story on this site, so please be nice and review!!

When Chiron first told them where their next quest was, Percy almost laughed. Considering he hadn't laughed since he was THERE, that said a lot. He had honestly let himself believe that maybe he and Annabeth were done with quests for a while, but the fates had other ideas. Apparently, no good dead, like saving the world, went unpunished. Annabeth had been watching him carefully as Chiron explained that they would be going to some school for magic in England. They would be disguised as a school competing in some magical tournament and their objective was to protect some kid with a scar on his head from an evil ghost man who had tried to kill him as a baby.

Chiron gave them each a wand. He explained that the wand was enchanted by Hecate herself. All they had to do was say the spell and the wand would do all the work. Of course, that also gave them two months to memorize all the spells these kids had years to memorize. Percy could see a lot of studying in his future. As they turned to leave, burdened with a pile of spell books, Chiron called Percy back. He nodded to Annabeth and promised to meet the others as soon as he was done.

"Percy, are you sure you can do this? This tournament can be very dangerous, and I wouldn't want to put you in a situation you're not ready for yet. I don't want you hurt," Chiron inquired gently. Here it was, his way out. It was his chance to say no, to stay home for once, while his friends went out to do the dangerous stuff. But he couldn't. He wasn't the person who could let others waltz into danger while he waited for a report. Besides, only the worthiest of the seven demigods going would be competing in the tournament and, with how screwed up his head was at the moment, that sounded like a Jason job. He took a deep breath and looked Chiron in the eye. "We both know that I can't just stay here Chiron. It would kill me more than going will. Besides, I doubt they'll choose me to compete."

He was happy that there was no quiver in his voice as he spoke. He sounded more confident than he felt. Chiron nodded, as though he had gotten the answer he was expecting. "And Annabeth?" he asked. Percy smiled slightly. Annabeth was doing better than he was, but she still struggling as well. It took time to get over something like that, he would think. "She'll be fine as long as we're together," Percy said in a slightly strained voice. Chiron nodded and told him to get studying, just in case.

-HI IM A PAGE BREAK-

After all the excitement of the summer and the beginning of the school year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were excited to watch as the three other schools arrived. They were impressed by the extravagant entrances of both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, but they were getting impatient as they awaited the final school, Delphi's Academy of Magic. People kept glancing at the front gates, the sky, and the lake. Maybe that was why nobody noticed the group of people approaching from the direction of the forbidden forest until they were halfway across the grounds. It was unspectacular, as though they were deliberately trying not to draw attention. Not that it could have worked for long.

There was an unassuming, older man in a wheelchair, who greeted Dumbledore with a cry of welcome. Professor Brunner, as Dumbledore called him, must be their headmaster. Behind him, were seven students. They wore black robes, much like Hogwarts did with black pants and white shirts underneath. They each had a stole wrapped around their shoulders, either orange or purple, which must mean something at their school. But nobody seemed to notice what they were wearing because these seven people were the most beautiful people anyone at Hogwarts had ever seen.

There were two boys following closely behind Chiron, looking around them in awe. One was tan, tall and lean. He had black unruly hair that was swept casually to one side and a pair of sea green eyes. He actually looked kind of like Harry. He was wearing a blue tie and he kept flinching subtly at the sudden movements of students around him. The boy beside him was blonde and buff. He had neat blonde hair and startling blue eyes. He was wearing a golden tie and kept looking at the boy next to him worriedly.

Trailing behind them were three girls. The girl nearest them had blond curls pulled into a ponytail and calculating grey eyes. She was wearing a grey tie and kept looking at the castle as though admiring it yet trying to see where it could be improved. The girl beside her had her brunette hair braided back with a blue feather weaved into it. She had almond shaped eyes that were constantly changing color as she looked around. She was wearing a pink tie, which she was pulling at as though it had personally offended her. The girl beside her had coco-colored skin and her curly hair was pulled away from her face. She looked younger than the rest, maybe even younger than them. She was wearing a black tie that looked almost as though it were embedded with jewels.

Finally, there were two more boys making up the rear. One looked Chinese with a buzzcut. He was wearing a red tie and seemed to be watching the dark-skinned girl in front of him and tuning out the boy walking beside him. His friend, who was talking as though he didn't notice no one was listening to him, had dark hair and a mischievous smile. His tie wasn't quite as neat as his fellow students, but it was a mixture of red, orange, and yellow and looked as though it was on fire.

The delegation from Delphi followed Dumbledore and Brunner as they led them through the entrance hall and into the great hall. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table and watched as the other schools found their seats. Beauxbatons chose to sit at the Ravenclaw table and Durmstrang chose to sit at the Slytherin table, much to Ron's disappointment. They were surprised when the seven students from Delphi chose to sit next to them at their table. They all listened as Dumbledore spoke. He welcomed the schools, introduced their headmasters and ministry officials who would be helping with the tournament, and then told them it was time to eat.

They glanced around as a feast appeared before them all, complete with several dishes they didn't recognize. They heard gasps and looked down at the Delphi delegation as they took in the food around them. To their surprise, the food closest to the oldest black-haired student seemed to all be blue. He didn't seem to mind as he started filling his plate as the blonde-haired beauty next to him laughed at him and rolled her eyes.

Suddenly, the blonde guy seemed to notice they were being watched and turned to them with a smile. "Hi, I'm Jason," he said. Hermione looked slightly stunned as he went on. "This is Piper." He gestured to the braided brunette beside him. "That's Frank and next to him is Hazel." He gestured to buzz-cut and the young curly-haired girl beside him. "That's Leo" he gestured to the younger black-haired boy across from him. "That's Annabeth and that idiot is Percy," he concluded, gesturing to the blonde and the boy with the blue food. Percy scowled at Jason around his blue Cheeseburger but elected to eat instead of argue.

Piper laughed and offered her hand to Ron, who took it looking at Piper as though she was made of glass. "Hi…I'm R-Ron," he stammered. Hermione rolled her eyes and punched Ron in the shoulder before turning to the new students. "and I'm Hermione. This is Harry." The others had started filling their plates, but Percy choked on his blue pumpkin juice. "As in Harry Potter?" he questioned.

Harry nodded slightly, well used to this reaction once people figured out who he was. What he was not expecting was the complete lack of curious questions. The new kids didn't seem to care all that much actually. They went back to eating. Annabeth and Piper began to ask the three British teens questions about the school and culture, none of which included Voldemort. Soon, the group were relaxing and becoming fast friends. There were some questions that the foreigners avoided, but that was only to be expected. They enjoyed desert and laughed as Percy pouted after Fred and George Weasley stole all his blue treacle tart.

Soon the food disappeared, and Dumbledore stood, ready to speak. "Now that we are all fed and full, let games begin!" There was a large cheer as a goblet full of fire was set on a stool in front of Dumbledore. "This is the goblet of fire. Those wishing to compete will put their names in the goblet and it will be the impartial judge that will decide who compete. Beware, once a champion is chosen, they cannot change their minds so only put your name in if you are ready to compete." He smiled down at the students. "Now, we have decided that for the safety of the students competing, we will be enforcing an age restriction. I will personally be drawing an age line around the goblet, so if you are under the age of seventeen, please do not try to cross it." There were cries of outrage and Percy looked sick, until the headmaster continued in his usual calm voice. "There is one exception to this rule, however. Due to the differences in teaching in America, the students from the Delphi Academy of Magic will be able to pass the line at the age of fifteen." There were several more cries against this, but Dumbledore seemed to be expecting this and easily disregarded it. He just smiled and sent them to bed, twenty-four hours before the champions would be chosen.

-Hi page break again-

Percy had been very nervous to come to this school, as his friends were more than aware, but the trio of students they were made to protect were more than inviting and soon he found himself relaxing slightly. They were enjoying their new friends, even the Weasley twins, and the food was delicious. When Dumbledore announced the age restriction of seventeen, Percy had felt the air rushing out of him and he had idly wondered if this was what it was like when someone was drowning. That meant it was either him or Annabeth. He couldn't let her compete, but he wasn't ready either. When Dumbledore continued, he let out a breath and noticed that Annabeth had started clawing his hand under the table. Jason and Piper were looking equally concerned and relieved that they were now in the running, while Hazel looked disappointed that she was the only one who wasn't.

They watched as Harry, Ron, and Hermione were pulled aside by one of the professors with a tight bun. She spoke to them before turning to the Weasley twins. They all turned back to their new friends with smiles on their faces. "Apparently, you guys will be rooming with us while you're here," said Hermione. They looked back at Chiron, who gave them a thumb up, and then followed them out of the great hall. The Americans seemed amazed by the castle, especially when the stairs started moving underneath them. On second thought, several of them looked sick when that happened, and they had all but jumped off the stairs when they came to a stop. Finally, they arrived at the Fat Lady. "Password?" she asked, eyeing the new people with just as much curiosity as they were watching her.

"Hercules," Harry said. He heard a chocking sound behind him, but none of the demigods showed it was them. Harry must be hearing things. They followed them into a comfortable common room and then their guides stopped. Hermione turned to the three girls. "Annabeth, Hazel, and Piper will be rooming in my dormitory through this door here. The boys will be over there. Percy and Jason will be with Harry and Ron, while Frank and Leo will be with Fred and George," she said, pointing at the doors that lead to the dormitories. They all nodded and bid each other good night. Tomorrow was going to be a long day and they all needed their sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Ron awoke to a sharp gasp as it filtered through the dark, quiet room. He sat up, though it was clearly far from morning. He had been sharing a room with Harry for three years and he was well versed in the nightmares that sometimes plagued the other boy's dreams. At first, Harry had been embarrassed when he realized that his nightmares sometimes woke his best friend, so Ron pretended to be asleep. Throughout the years however, Ron learned that after a particularly stressful nightmare, Harry appreciated a friendly face. Ron listened as the gasps became moans and the sound of thrashing bedsheets drifted across the dormitory. He had just thrown back the covers on his bed and opened his mouth to softly call Harry's name when another voice broke through the darkness. "Percy," Jason whispered. He cursed in another language and Ron heard shuffling until all the noise died down to a whispered conversation.

"Was it the same one?" Jason asked. He heard Percy let out sigh before his voice joined Jason's in the inky blackness. "Aren't they all basically the same?" he said despondently. Ron laid back in his bed, wondering what demons were tormenting the American boy. He had almost drifted back to sleep when he heard Percy break the silence once more. "Jason?" he asked timidly, as though he was hoping his fellow student had already succumbed sleep once more. His luck didn't seem to hold as his friend answered almost immediately, as though he had been waiting for Percy to talk about what was evidently bothering him. "I..I don't think I can do this. I mean, I can't even sleep. How am I supposed to do this if I get picked by that stupid cup?" Ron could hear the quiver in his voice. He didn't understand why this kid couldn't want a chance at the fame and fortune these games would provide, but apparently Jason did. "Hopefully it won't come to that, but if it does, we will all be behind you and we will still complete this quest as a group. You won't be alone. It will not be like when you were THERE, got it?" Jason said forcefully. He could hear the slight smile in Percy's voice as he responded, "Got it. Though I don't know what they're worried about if there is the age restriction and all. It's not like he'll be able to compete." He heard Jason's mumbled agreement before they both went back to sleep, but Ron had a lot to think about. If these students didn't care about the competition, then why were they here? He rolled over but didn't sleep much before dawn.

-HI I AM A PAGE BREAK-

Annabeth woke up the next morning feeling nervous, but oddly refreshed. She got out of bed and began to get ready for the daunting day ahead. She heard the others shuffling around and perked up a bit. They hadn't had the chance to do more than introduce themselves to the other girls, Lavender and Parvati, before going to bed last night. She wanted to get to know more about this world that she would be a part of for the next few months. She walked back into the main room from the small bathroom connected to the dorm and smiled as Piper passed her and took her turn in there. She saw the witches dressing in casual robes for the slow, long anticipated day. "So, Annabeth," said Lavender with a smile. "Who were the hotties you guys came with? Please tell me at least one is single." Annabeth almost chocked on her laughter as she glanced at a blushing Hazel. "Well, sorry to disappoint, but no. The oldest, dark haired one is my boyfriend, Percy. The blonde guy is Piper's boyfriend Jason. The Chinese Canadian is Hazel's boyfriend Frank and then Leo has a girlfriend back in America," Annabeth said. "And if you knew him at all, that would kind of amaze you," added Piper as she walked out of the bathroom. She turned to the witches. "Do us a favor: don't tell any of them that you think their hot. Their egos, particularly Jason's, does not need any beefing up." Annabeth laughed at her brunette friend as they all made their way to the spiral staircase.

When Annabeth reached the bottom of the stairs, she was immediately wrapped in a hug that smelled like the sea. She felt herself relaxing even though she could feel the slight desperation leaking from her boyfriend. She glanced past his shoulder and caught Jason's strained smile as he put his arm around Piper. Something had happened, and if she had to guess, she would assume Percy had had another nightmare. Demigod nightmares were far from fun, but the dreams of a demigod who had been through Tartarus were even worse. She tightened her grip on him slightly, ignoring the confused looks of the Hogwarts students. If they thought it was a weird way to greet each other after only a night apart, she didn't care. They both needed each other in a way that those criticizing them could never understand.

Leo shattered the moment when a small propeller made of tin foil smacked Percy in the back of the head. Percy released his girlfriend in favor of glaring at the mechanic, who grinned back, accepting the high-five Fred gave him as the twins exited the common room without shame. They were once again led through the maze of hallways and staircases to the great hall. The only moment that Percy let go of Annabeth's hand was when he frantically grabbed the railing when the stairs moved on them once again. Jason laughed, and Harry swore he heard his muttered assurance that he would catch him if he fell. They made their way into the great hall and there was a sudden silence before everyone started talking at once. They sat at the Gryffindor table and Harry turned to Seamus who was sitting beside him. "Has anyone put in their names yet?" he asked. Seamus glanced at the Delphi students curiously before he answered. "Yep. You lot just missed Durmstrang and Beauxbatons put theirs in earlier this morning. Angelina put hers in a few minutes ago." Harry nodded. "I'm sure some Hogwarts students put their names in last night," he said. "I mean, that's what I would do. What if it just spits your name right back out?"

"Can it do that?" Frank said, looking nervous. Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes at her clueless friends who never read. "No. It's enchanted to consider everyone who puts in their name." "Including us," said George grinning as he passed Hermione. "Now that we are seventeen thanks to an aging potion," smirked Fred. Of course, they weren't quite as confident when they received their matching beards.

"Well," Jason said, as he rose to his feet and extended his hand to Piper. "Shall we ensure the Delphi Academy of Magic is represented?" Piper nodded, retrieving her name written in neat penmanship on a spare piece of parchment. They strolled over the line, hand in hand, and dropped their names in the goblet which sparked red fire for a moment as it accepted them. All in all, it was rather anti-climactic, but they were both smiling as they walked back to the table. Leo waltzed up to the goblet and flicked his name in like a paper football. Frank on the other hand, just dropped his in before returning to Hazel, who beamed like a proud parent. Or girlfriend. Annabeth, who seemed amazed by the goblet, had her name in it's flames before she realized Percy had dropped her hand and stood frozen at the age line. She retraced her steps as she stood before Percy, looking into his masked green eyes. "You okay?" she asked as she ran her fingers across his palm. He shook his head as he ran his free hand through his hair in obvious distress. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked into Jason's oddly compassionate gaze. They might give each other crap, but deep down, he cared. "You don't have to do this," Jason said, for Percy's ears alone. "Yes, you know I do," Percy growled as he marched up to the goblet and all but threw his name in the cup. As soon as the fire burned red, Percy seemed to lose his fight. He walked back to Annabeth, sinking into her embrace before they both returned to their breakfast.

-hihihihihihihihihi-

Harry was confused. He didn't understand Percy Jackson at all. Here was this boy who had travelled across an ocean to compete in this tournament, yet he didn't seem to want to. He had watched as he held his girlfriend as though he had been terrified she had disappeared overnight. The rest of the morning he had been oddly withdrawn. At least, until it came time to put his name in the goblet. He had seen him freeze, had watched as his friends tried to talk to him before he marched over to throw his name in the goblet. Harry knew that anger, he had felt it himself. It was what pushed him to do what he knew he had to do, even when he didn't want to, even when he was afraid. It was what pushed him to ignore the words of his friends when they were trying to protect him. He couldn't help but wonder what Percy needed protecting from.


	3. Chapter 3

Hermione was enthralled with the new students, but she didn't really understand how their school worked. They were all wearing the same thing as the day before, if a bit more casual, so obviously the colors had meaning. She wasn't naive enough or oblivious enough to miss the tension that had appeared as soon as the Delphi students finished putting in their names, but this was the only way she really knew how to deal with it. Distraction had it's time and place. She had seen it work with Harry and Ron, sometimes she could even make it work on herself. If her curiosity was settled, well, that was just a perk.

"So," she said, somewhat awkwardly. "It has been killing me. What exactly do the colors in your guy's uniforms mean? At Hogwarts they correspond with our houses, but you guys all wear different colors. Are they like levels or something?" She saw varying looks of surprise directed back at her, but Annabeth smiled slightly before she answered. "Well, the academy is split into two, uh, sides. The purple represents those who were taught using a more structured, disciplined method while those of us in orange were taught with a more relaxed, personalized method." Hermione nodded, looking intrigued. She couldn't imagine that kind of system working, but apparently it did. They must have some amazing teachers. "And the ties? Are those like your houses?" Harry asked, sounding unusually intrigued. Annabeth opened her mouth with a thoughtful expression before glancing slightly at Jason and Percy. "Well…I guess it works kinda like that, but we have a lot more than four. And they determine what kind of magic we specialize in," she said. This time, Ginny broke into the conversation with a huff. "But how do they decide what you want to study. I mean, at eleven, I had no idea what I wanted to be. I still don't," she said, her eyebrows knotting above her striking brown eyes. "You started learning magic at eleven?" Hazel asked, looking at Ginny thoughtfully. All the Hogwarts students looked surprised. "Don't you guys?" asked Ron, looking appalled. Annabeth looked a little panicked, but Jason answered without hesitation. "Our parents send us when they feel like we are ready to learn the stuff we can't learn on our own. It's different for everyone. Besides, the house we're in depends on our parents," he spouted easily, as though he had been saying this for years, not minutes. The Hogwarts crew looked shocked, as though they had never considered a place that would operate with such a system, but Hermione recovered quickly and continued her curious investigation. "Well, what are your specialties?" she inquired eagerly.

"Flying," Jason answered nonchalantly. He expected a stunned reaction, but the Hogwarts students just nodded. "Harry really good at that too," Ron said looking unimpressed. Jason frowned while Piper started laughing. "Well, that was hilarious. He should probably expand. His magic is related to the sky. Lightning. Wind. And yes, flying," she rolled her eyes while Annabeth and Hermione laughed. "Mine is…love I guess you could say. Well, love and persuasion," Piper said thoughtfully. Harry glanced at Ginny uncomfortably, but was distracted as Hermione asked another question. "Wait! If Jason's power is related to the sky, do you have houses for the other three elements?" she said, grabbing Annabeth as though she could shake the answers out of her. Annabeth smiled slightly as she regarded the girl next to her. "Yeah, we do actually. Percy's got anything water related in the bag, Hazel does earth and riches and stuff, and Leo does fire, forging, and building. I'm kinda a planning person, you could say. Technically it's wisdom, but that's pretty broad." Annabeth seemed to be realizing the ally she had in the brunette as she soaked in the information. The rest of the Hogwarts students looked impressed until Neville tuned to Frank with a frown. "What do you do?" he asked nervously. Frank frowned before he answered quietly, "War magic." Harry leaned forward, interested in this turn of the conversation. "Like defense against the dark arts?" he asked, somewhat eagerly. Frank looked up, smiling slightly at Harry. "yeah…i…. yeah." Hazel smiled at him as she threw a wink in Harry's direction, as though thanking him for something, but Harry felt like he was missing something. It was a feeling he had frequently when he regarded the new students.

The night came faster than any of them were prepared for. They once again sat through an amazing feast, but there was a nervous energy flowing throughout the room that was almost palpable. The conversation was subdued, and the students kept glancing at the goblet in the front of the room nervously. Percy couldn't bring himself to eat much, and he began fidgeting wildly as the desert disappeared. Dumbledore stood, and silence fell immediately. It seemed as though everyone was hardly daring to breathe at all. Dumbledore smiled, despite the tension, and opened his arms. "The time has come for the champions to be chosen. We are excited to get the games underway. Those who are chosen will go through that door into the chamber to receive information about the first task, which will take place in a months' time." There was a small cheer before everyone focused on the Goblet, which was full of red flame. There was sparking before a piece of slightly burned paper came flying out of the goblet. Dumbledore caught it easily. "The Durmstrang champion is…. Victor Krum!" he announced loudly. Everyone cheered while Krum stood from his spot at the Slytherin table and walked through the door besides the teacher's table. "No surprise there," Ron said, clapping loudly. Silence fell as the fire in the goblet turned red again. Another paper flew into Dumbledore's hand. "The Beauxbatons champion is…. Fleur Delacour." There was more cheering as a stunning girl with waist length blonde hair joined Krum in the chamber. The tension was palpable as the fire turned red and another paper appeared in Dumbledore's hand. "The Hogwarts champion is…. Cedric Diggory," he announced as the Hufflepuff table erupted with cheers. After Diggory had joined his fellow competitors, the fire turned red again. As the paper flew out, Percy grabbed Annabeth's hand in a solid grip, closing his eyes as though he could prevent what he feared. Jason shifted uneasily, as though he was doubting his own ability to complete the tasks, but nobody could see his hands tightly wound around Piper's under the table. Frank was nervously fidgeting with a strand of Hazel's brown hair. Leo seemed to be the only one unaffected, but if you looked close enough, you could see the excess of his usual nervous energy. Dumbledore opened his mouth to read the paper, then he froze. He closed his mouth again, before he shouted, "Harry Potter."

Whatever anyone was expecting, it wasn't that. Everybody's eyes swung to the Gryffindor table as Harry sat there, obviously stunned. Dumbledore gestured to Harry, urging him over to the door as the room became louder than Kings Cross station. Jason and Percy stared at each other, finally realizing why they were there. Apparently, Dumbledore's fears were not unfounded. Jason turned in time to see Hermione's worried gaze following Harry and Ron's angry scowl before it morphed into an unemotional mask. Jason shook his head slightly as he turned to the front. He couldn't believe Ron would be angry with his self-proclaimed best friend, but it looked like he was.

In all the chaos, nobody noticed when the goblet spit out one last paper until Dumbledore's voice broke through the cacophony. "The champion for the Delphi Academy of Magic is…"


	4. Chapter 4

In all the chaos, nobody noticed when the goblet spit out one last paper until Dumbledore's voice broke through the cacophony. "The champion for the Delphi Academy of Magic is.."

"…Percy Jackson." Percy froze, completely unaware of the world around him. He didn't hear the scattering of applause amid the still outraged talking. He didn't feel Annabeth's nails digging welts into his hands, almost drawing blood. He didn't see her burst into tears and he didn't even flinch when she burrowed her head into his shoulder. He didn't notice Piper and Hermione gently attempting to peel her from his side. He didn't notice Jason trying to get his attention until he was roughly shaken by his hand on his arm. His eyes snapped to Jason's blue eyes, and he nodded as he stood and walked to the small door. He could feel all the eyes on him; some gazes were curious, and others were worried. He started as he felt a hand grab his arm, and looked down into Chiron's concerned, yet searching eyes. Percy nodded slightly, straightening his shoulders in an act of fake confidence that he knew well. Chiron sighed before plastering on a false grin in return. He gave him a small pat on the back and squeezed his arm assuredly before gesturing toward the door.

Percy walked through the door to a rush of voices. He glanced at the other three champions in the room, standing powerful and ready, before zeroing in on Harry, who looked every bit as terrified as he felt. He went to him, laying a hand on his shoulder as Fleur, Cedric, and Victor seemed to realize that there was one too many people in the room. He ignored Fleur's questions as several people came streaming into the small chamber, all yelling about the injustice that had just occurred. He listened as they all began to debate whether Harry could compete in the tournament. It reminded Percy of similar conversations that had taken place before he had left to go on quests when he was younger. Much like those instances, however, it didn't seem that Harry had much of a choice in the matter of his own life either.

When Harry denied putting his name into the goblet, Percy caught both Chiron and Dumbledore staring at him as though needing confirmation. Percy couldn't help a little bit of anger at their accusations. He knew what it was like to be blamed for something you didn't do. He jerked his head sharply and both men smiled at him, as though they could read his thoughts and wanted to assure him they had already known Harry's innocence. And like a train, it hit Percy exactly what was happening. They knew someone, a very bad someone, had it in for Harry and they had chosen Percy to be his final line of defense. He was fighting in a different kind of war this time and he had no idea how to win.

He was shocked when a grizzled man with one good eye and one good leg came limping in. Percy immediately jumped on guard, but no one else seemed to be suspicious of the newcomer. Percy listened as the man confirmed the harsh reality that he was currently living through, only to be brushed off as paranoid. Percy couldn't help but feel uneasy about this man who seemed to know too much and see too much.

Percy was relieved when the arguing finally ceased; he was starting to get a headache. He watched as an ill-looking man stepped up to give the instructions to the first task. He listened closely as he started his short speech. "The first task is designed to test your daring, so we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard…very important. The first task will take place on November 24 in front of the other students and a panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed with only their wands." Percy could feel his trusty ballpoint pen in his pocket growing heavier, as though dying to make its presence known. "They will receive information about the second task once the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempt from end of year tests." Percy let out a harsh breath. He didn't even get to know what he would be expected to do. He felt sort of sick, exactly like Harry looked. He didn't pay much attention until Harry began to move. Obviously, they had been excused. He followed Harry and Cedric from the hall, sharing a long look with Chiron. He listened with exasperation as Harry had to once again defend himself against Cedric.

When it was just Harry and Percy walking toward their beds, Percy took a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking to the boy beside him. "I believe you, you know," he said, grinning slightly as Harry's head shot up, his eyes searching for deception. "I know it's hard to believe, but I was in a similar situation once. Not everyone is going to believe you at first. Some may never believe you. You need to hold onto those who do. They are the ones that matter." Harry gave him a small smile. "What if no one else does?" he asked, sounding scared that life had finally managed to take all that he had left. Percy recognized that fear. He saw it in himself all the time, even now. He shoved it aside however as he draped an arm across Harry's shoulders. "Then you'll make do with just me, but I don't think that will happen." Harry relaxed slightly as the reached the hallway of the fat lady. He stopped turning to Percy.

"Are you…Are you nervous?" he asked, blushing a deep red color. Percy wanted to lie away his fear like he normally would, but he knew that now was the time for honesty. "Terrified," he said before walking to the fat lady who was chatting with another painted which. "Hercules," they said together. Harry was immediately pulled inside by the excited crowd, leaving Percy to climb in behind him. He could hear Harry struggling to tell people the truth, to get away from all the attention and considered going to his aid when he was shoved backward as blonde hair filled his face. He staggered slightly as his arms automatically wrapped around Annabeth's trembling form. He looked past her, catching sight of the tense faces of his friends. He led his girlfriend over to their secluded corner and dropped into an armchair, pulling her into his lap. She searched his face and he didn't have the energy to try and hide how he was feeling. She sighed, running her had through his uncontrollable hair. He relaxed, nodding at Jason who looked defeated. Piper gave him an encouraging smile and Hazel and Frank both nodded their silent support. Leo was oddly absent, and Percy wondered if he was upset that he had not been chosen. Percy felt tired, inside and out. He let his eyes drift close, but Annabeth nudged him in the side. "Why don't you go to sleep and we'll talk in the morning?" she whispered. He smiled and kissed her slightly before trudging upstairs, followed instantly by Jason and Frank. They entered their dormitories and Percy instantly noticed Ron lying on his bed. He glanced at Jason, surprised at the separation between the Hogwarts boys who seemed so close just hours ago. Jason was tense, staring at Ron in apparent disgust. Percy blinked in confusion before trudging over to his alluring bed. He sank down as Ron broke the icy silence. "Congrats Percy. You must be proud," he said, grinning maniacally. Percy was saved from replying as Harry stumbled into the room, trying to remove a banner that was wrapped around him like a cape. He froze when he caught sight of Ron, then threw the banner into the corner. "So, congratulations," Ron said. Percy sat there in shock, listening to what had obviously been a close friendship combust before his eyes. He couldn't believe how easily things had shattered. He glanced at Jason, who was watching Harry with concern as the words tore out his heart. When Ron wrenched his hangings shut, they watched as Harry sunk in defeat. Percy knew the feeling. He smiled slightly as Harry looked at him. If his eyes were slightly glassy, Percy would never tell.

As much as he wanted to deny it, the first reaction Jason had to hearing Percy's name was relief. He let out a sigh and looked into the glazed eyes of his best friend. Jason had heard people described as shell shocked before but had never seen someone who resembled a shell as perfectly as Percy did in that moment. He saw Annabeth burst into tears, but Piper and Hermione, who was obviously still reeling from finding her own friend involved in the game of death, immediately began trying to comfort her. Jason focused on Percy again, trying in vain to get his attention. He stood, getting right into his face and shaking his arm. He was relieved to see a spark of something come back into his eyes before Jason had to resort to shocking him to get him to snap out of it. He watched as Percy walked toward the chamber, wrapping an arm around Annabeth who, though no longer crying, was shaking roughly. He saw Chiron stop Percy, evidently as concerned as the rest of them were. He gave a confident grin to the crowd, but Jason could see right through it. He watched as Dumbledore excused the hall and walked toward the chamber with almost all the adults in the room. He helped Annabeth to her feet and led her from the hall. He met Piper's eyes. He was surprised to see her face similarly streaked with a few tears. Jason wasn't sure whether the tears were from the utter relief or the absolute dread he knew she must be feeling. He was sure Piper didn't know either. Hermione followed them, evidently still worried about Harry. Ron was silent most of the way to the tower, until an innocent first year asked him how it felt to be Harry's best friend.

Ron barked out a harsh reply before scoffing at Hermione's shocked look. "Oh, come off it Hermione. He wasn't much of a friend. He didn't tell us he was entering, probably wanted to have the attention. You know, he pretends to hate it, but I reckon he's gotten used to it. Probably likes it." Hermione growled slightly before hissing her response to the jealous voice. "Ron, Harry didn't put his name in and you know it. He's going to need us. He could DIE. Could you please just get over yourself?" Jason huffed slightly, glad to see at least one of Harry's friends stand by him. He clenched his jaw, trying to keep calm, but Ron seemed determined to push his buttons tonight. "Should have known you'd take his side," he snapped. Jason had enough. This was ridiculous.

"In my experience, friends shouldn't have sides," he said, looking at Piper. "You can't win separated. You need each other, and you shouldn't be so quick to abandon and judge those you proclaim to be loyal to." Piper beamed at him, but one look at Ron's face told him that he had just fueled the fire. "Don't give me that crap. I saw how scared Percy was when he got chosen and he is supposed to represent you guys. You've got to be disappointed that he got picked. Or is he the best you could offer?" he asked harshly. "I bet he hasn't done a quarter of what I've done and yet he's seems scared to even sleep. He's never going to last, and you want to tell me that you don't want to take his place?"

Jason held Annabeth back as she lunged at Ron, but it was Leo who let out the verbal tirade they were all thinking. "You have NO IDEA what he has been through, but I have no doubt that someone with your apparent loyalty would never have made it through half of it. Don't be so quick to count him out just because he is strong enough that his demons can't defeat him during the day and must resort to attacking him in his sleep. You have no right to call him weak. No right," he railed. He turned sharply, heading toward the grounds. "I need to call Calypso. Don't wait up," he called over his shoulder. They watched him in shock for a moment before Frank broke the silence. "What Leo is trying to say is that Percy has been through a lot. I think any of us would take his place to stop him from having to go through even more, but we are relieved that Percy wouldn't let us even if we could."

Ron huffed, obviously defeated before storming toward his dormitory. Hermione gave them all a soft smile before similarly heading to bed. The found a corner in the crowded common room that was mostly abandoned and settled in to wait. Regardless of what happed next, they all had two friends competing in the tournament. Jason couldn't help but feel that this was the beginning of the end, but he shook his head sharply, refusing to give into such thoughts. Percy, and Harry, needed all the help they could get


	5. Chapter 5

That night, Percy found it hard to fall asleep. He twisted and turned, desperately wishing he could escape from the horror the day had turned out to be yet terrified of what he would see. He gave up trying to sleep and tiptoed out of the dormitory and into the empty common room. He found a seat by the window and gazed out into the darkened night. He watched the Durmstrang ship bobbing in the lake and wondered what it would be like to live in this world. To have magic be something of hope, not just another weapon that is used by both sides of the never-ending war.

Suddenly, He heard footsteps behind him. He whirled around, his hand going to his pocket and the trusted pen he kept hidden there. He relaxed as Piper appeared at the bottom of the staircase to the girl's dormitory. She stumbled to a stop, tugging anxiously on her messy braid when she spotted Percy in the light of the dying fire. "Percy," she whispered sharply. "What are you doing awake?" She glanced around, as though expecting to see another person to be hiding in the corner. "I couldn't sleep and decided to come down here, so I wouldn't wake up Jason," he said, peering suspiciously around the room. He didn't see anything out of place and turned back to Piper. "I assume you are here for the same reason," he said, raising an eyebrow as she collapsed into the armchair next to him. She nodded, dropping her head into her arms. They sat in silence until Percy started to relax. With the release of tension, he was overcome with a wave of exhaustion. He stood to leave when Piper grabbed his arm. "You know that we are all going to see you through this right? You aren't alone," she said, her gaze searching his.

Despite everything that was going through his mind, he couldn't help a small smile. "You know, Jason told me the same thing," he admitted as he slid carefully out of her reach. Piper chuckled softly as she shook her head. "Then listen to him. He's right sometimes and none of us want to face Annabeth if we let anything happen to you." Percy laughed as her turned and walked softly up the stairs, content that he might be able to get some sleep. As Piper walked back toward her own bed, she smiled at Annabeth who was hiding behind the edge of the staircase. Annabeth gave her a grateful look in return and they went to bed without another word.

-I'm a page break-

Percy was awoken when he heard the curtains on the bed next to him being forced open sharply. He sat up quickly but relaxed when he saw Harry, staring at Ron's bed with a look of broken longing. He sighed slightly before resting a hand on his shoulder. Harry started slightly before giving a sigh himself. It seemed as though the world was out for them both.

-I'm back again-

When Hazel awoke, it took her a moment to remember the day before. When she did, it was with all the emotions she had at the time. She was relieved that Frank didn't have to compete, terrified that Percy did, disgusted by Ron, impressed by Hermione, and utterly exhausted by it all. She groaned as she sat up, earning her confused looks from Lavender and Parvati and understanding ones from Piper and Hermione. Annabeth didn't even look up from where she was brushing out her blonde hair.

By the time they reached the common room, Piper had managed to snap Annabeth out of her funk and into the conversation. She was even smiling as they descended the stairs, but it melted at the sight of Jason, Frank, and Leo waiting for them alone. "Where is he?" she snapped, looking around as though expecting him to be hidden behind one of the plush armchairs in the room. Jason raised a hand as though preparing to defend himself before replying. "He's asleep. He seemed restless last night. I don't think he got much sleep, and I didn't want to wake him up. The next few weeks are going to be a little rough on him." Annabeth nodded as she sheathed her claws. Piper urged her slightly toward the portrait hole, but she hesitated, looking back toward the boy's dormitory. "What if he has a nightmare? I don't want him to wake up alone," she said, inching toward the staircase. Frank grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the portrait hole. "Harry's in there with him and I have an idea he understands kind of what that's like," he said. Hermione nodded her agreement before responding. "Annabeth, they are both going to need food when they wake up. And frankly, you need to take care of yourself too. Why don't we go eat and bring some toast back, so they don't have to face the crowds of the great hall just yet."

Annabeth nodded glumly, but Piper and Jason looked at her as though she had solved a complex problem that had been bothering them for a long time.


	6. Chapter 6

Percy and Harry got ready for the day in silence. Neither was quite sure what to say. When they entered the common room, several people began clapping and cheering and Percy was fairly certain that it wasn't for him. If Harry's sigh was anything to go by, he agreed with him. They exited through the portrait hole and almost ran straight into Hermione and the entire Delphi Academy clan.

Annabeth quickly shoved the small pile of toast in her hands into Frank's waiting arms before sweeping Percy into a tight embrace. She pulled away fairly quickly, however, when Leo cleared his throat, gesturing toward the portrait hole they were blocking. Hermione smiled slightly before explaining their plan to eat on the great lawn instead of the great hall. Needless to say, Harry and Percy were very receptive of idea and they were soon walking along through the chilly, munching on pieces of perfectly made toast.

The demigods allowed Hermione and Harry to stray further ahead of them, whispering between themselves. Annabeth had claimed Percy hand in hers, but Percy was more interested in what Hazel was saying about their 'lessons.' It would mostly just be them studying magic books and practicing them in a classroom Dumbledore had secured for them, but they would be able to go into the forest a couple of times a week to spar and train in their more original capacities.

Harry and Hermione returned to the castle to go to class, but the demigods stayed on the ground a little while longer. They settled underneath a big tree next to the lake and Percy sighed as he rested his head into Annabeth's lap. She reached down to tangle her hand in his hair and Percy hummed slightly before he turned to Jason. "I'm guessing that a good night's sleep didn't turn Ron around?" he asked, wishing anyone would tell him he was wrong, for Harry's sake. Jason just grit his teeth before shaking his head sharply.

Percy nodded sadly and looked at them. "Guys, we've never done anything like this before. Um…If things start to go wrong, thanks for sticking with me." Annabeth's hand tightened in his but her gaze remained silently staring out across the lake. Jason rested a hand on Percy's knee and opened his mouth to speak when the sound of voices stopped him. They watched as a huge man with crazy black hair and a wild beard pushed Chiron across the uneven ground. Chiron thanked the man, Hagrid for his help and waited for him to start across the lawn before he started to speak.

"Percy, you have a wand ceremony with the other champions this afternoon but before we get to that we need to discuss plans to protect Mr. Potter. Annabeth, I trust that you brought that trusty ballcap with you?" He said, waiting for her confirming nod before he consented. With your consent, I would like you to all take shifts following Harry. Apparently, he has a propensity for getting into trouble, and I would like to prevent that without making it obvious we are doing so."

"That's fine, but what else are we going to do? I mean, how are we supposed to protect him during this first task when we don't even know what it is?" Annabeth said as Percy sat up and took her hand in his own.

Chiron looked uncomfortable for a moment, looking around suspiciously before looking Percy square in the eye. "Actually, Dumbledore wants you all to be able to focus on what we are here to do, so he told me the nature of the first task. Percy, you are going to face a dragon."


	7. Chapter 7

"A drakon?" Percy asked incredulously, looking back and forth between Chiron and Annabeth. Jason meanwhile gasped and started whispering frantically to Leo. Chiron just sighed. "A Dragon, Percy. A big nasty thing that your going to have to steal an egg from."

Percy was nodding along, looking as though he was already planning his next move, but his insides were like ice. He didn't want to do this. He really, really didn't want to do this. "Okay, so we tell Harry and we make a plan," Percy said simply. Annabeth nodded her head in agreement, but Chiron just shook his. "Harry can't know."

Percy looked at Chiron in shock, "But that's not fair. He's just a kid and you guys expect him to fight a freaking dragon without even knowing about it beforehand." Chiron just held up a hand.

"I know Percy, but it has to be this way. Trust me, I know!" Chiron insisted. Percy looked at him imploringly but didn't interrupt as he continued. "Just find a way to help him without telling him."

Percy just knew one thing for sure. Nothing about any of this was is anyway fair.

Harry walked into the room and made his way to Percy's side, eyeing the witch who was eyeing him with sharp eyes and a green quill in her mouth. She pulled him into a broom cupboard, and they had an awkward interview, but not before Percy had eyed her suspiciously and told her she could interview him first. She'd declined and pulled Harry from the room. When the door opened, Harry was relieved to see Dumbledore's face. Dumbledore just smiled and explained that they were ready to start, and Percy had told them where to find their final champion. They followed Dumbledore back to the room and sat in uncomfortable chairs as they waited their turns to get their wands checked. Percy was nervously fidgeting in his chair as he watched Mr. Ollivander produce flowers from the end of Fleur's wand.

"Okay, Mr. Jackson. Your wand please?" He asked, extending his hand and beckoning Percy toward him. Percy nervously handed over his wand under Dumbledore's calm gaze and relaxed slightly. There was no way he was about to be revealed as a fraud by the wand expert if Dumbledore wasn't prepared for it in some way. He took the wand from Percy and looked it over closely. "Hmm… Let's see. Oak, nine and a half inches…slightly bendy and the core? Hmm…" he hummed twirling it in between his fingers and looking at Percy over it's polished surface. "Mermaid hair?" He questioned, frowning slightly.

Percy's eyes widened and he met Chiron's gaze as he winked slightly at him. "Uh... yeah. That's it," Percy recovered quickly, flashing what he hoped was a confident smile at the room. Mr. Ollivander nodded and continued to examine the wand. "It looks almost new. You must take care of it often…. I've seen new wizards with more dings than this," He trailed off, raising an eyebrow as he looked over the freshly cut wood. Percy felt his tongue go dry as he frantically looked at Chiron who looked slightly panicked and then at Dumbledore who looked calmly back at him.

Percy gave an easy smile and hoped to all the gods that the lie he was about to tell would be received well. "We've all been training for so long and our wands were all extremely beat up, so we all got new wands for the tournament. We wanted to represent our school for the best and thought that new wands couldn't hurt," he said easily, looking to Chiron for support. Chiron just nodded calmly and glanced at Dumbledore, who smiled slightly at Percy under his full beard.

Ollivander looked approvingly at him for a second before he nodded and gave the wand a sharp flick, creating a fiery horse that galloped around Percy a few times before giving him a small bow and a muttered, "Hey kid" that nobody else seemed to hear. Percy couldn't help the small smile and he took a seat as Harry handed his wand over for an inspection. After they had taken so many pictures that everyone's eyes were burning, the boys went down toward the Great Hall for dinner.

"So…" Percy started, trying to decide how to help Harry face a dragon without telling him that he was facing a dragon. "Got any ideas how your going to prepare for the first task?"

Harry sighed slightly and ran his hands through his wild hair. "I haven't even really had a chance to think about it, but I'm not sure. I mean, how can I prepare for something when I have no idea what I'm facing."

Percy watched his face as they descended the non-moving staircase. "I know what you mean, but maybe I could help teach you some water magic. You never know, it might come in handy."

Harry shot him a weak smile as he stopped in front of the Great Hall, looking apprehensive. Percy gave him a small push and nodded toward the chattering crowd. He understood how Harry was feeling but he had to face them all eventually. Harry just groaned slightly and kept his head down as they joined their friends at the Gryffindor table. He noticed that Ron was sitting further down the table and looked away pointedly as they passed him.

Harry sunk into the seat between Hermione and Annabeth as Percy took the seat on the other side of her, kissing her cheek warmly. "Where were you guys?" Leo asked curiously, spinning his fork around his plate like a top. "We weren't sure you were going to make it."

Percy glanced at Harry's sullen face before he answered. "We were getting our wands checked for the tournament. It wasn't too bad, but I had to explain to everybody how we all got new wands for the tournament because we didn't know who would be competing," he said meaningfully and everybody nodded and tried not to act like this was new information. Hermione's interest was perked, however.

"But are you nervous to compete with a new wand?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.

Percy bit his lip, thinking fast. "Well, maybe a little bit but it already feels comfortable, you know what I mean?" he asked easily, hoping that it would make sense in this new world. Harry let out a soft laugh. "Now you sound like Ollivander. The wand chooses the wizard and all that stuff."

Percy let out a slightly tense laugh of his own and shoveled food into his mouth so he wouldn't have to respond. He turned his attention to his meal and tried to listen as Annabeth told Piper about some charm she just couldn't seem to get right and how she had been practicing with a Hogwarts seventh year who hadn't had much patience with her. He noticed Harry and Hermione whispering to eat other and took comfort in the fact that Harry seemed to be perking up slightly. He just hoped nothing went wrong and they could prepare Harry for the first task.

The next morning, they awoke to find an article that made Harry look really bad. Everyone was making fun of him because of it and Percy wished he could make it better, but he had no idea how to do that. He spent the day with the Durmstrang students practicing several complicated spells that he hadn't even come close to perfecting the simplified version of. He blew out a sharp breath as he stood by the dying fire in the common room after dinner. Harry and Hermione were being secretive, and Percy knew something was up when Harry said he was going to bed early when Percy offered to help him prepare for the first task. He whispered to Annabeth quietly and she quickly sneaked off up the stairs.

Percy watched as she flashed him a smile and a baseball cap at the top of the stairs before she disappeared. "Think she'll be able to follow him?" Jason muttered as Hermione headed their way. Percy nodded and shrugged simultaneously as he turned his attention to Hermione, who talked with Piper and Hazel as she flashed knitting needles in front of her. After a long evening of lectures about the rights of some creature called house elves, which they pretended weren't a thing in America to hide their ignorance, Hermione and most of the other students finally went to bed.

"Guys, I don't know how to help Harry without telling him about the dragons," Percy said but Piper raised her eyebrows at him. "We'll figure that out. Have you found out how you are going to single-handedly get past a dragon without revealing the fact that we aren't, you know, supposed to be here exactly?" Piper asked.

Percy groaned and let his head sink into his hands. "I don't know. I haven't really had to much time to think about it yet."

Piper looked at Jason helplessly and took Percy's hand in hers. "Well, We will figure that out to. I mean, we can talk to Chiron and ask what he thinks you can do to prepare. He must have some ideas."

Jason nodded his agreement as Frank joined in the conversation from where he was leaning against Hazel's legs. "And you're not alone in this whole thing Percy. We figured out everything last year and this has nothing to do with that. Worse come to worse we can talk to some of our parents or, you know, our sponsor and surely get some kind of help."

Hazel laughed at the subtle reference to Hecate, running a hand through Frank's buzzed hair. Percy nodded as he relaxed slightly. They sat in silence for a while before Hazel stood, stretching her arms above her head. "well, I'm beat so I'm gonna hit the sack. But remember Percy, we'll figure something out or find someone who can, even if we have to talk to your dad, your not getting burnt to a crisp on our watch," she said, grabbing his shoulder and kissing Frank on the cheek as she walked toward the stairs. All of them echoed their agreement as they parted for the night, but none of them had noticed the figure who had been listening from the darkened stairs or the face that had briefly appeared in the fire…


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Harry was still asleep when Jason and Percy left the room. Percy hadn't had a good night and was slumping his shoulders and yawning slightly as they made their way into the common room. Annabeth greeted him with a wide smile and a warm hug which helped ease his stress. He leaned in to her slightly and didn't argue as she led him and Jason to where the rest of the demigods were waiting. She had dark circles under her own eyes, but her eyes were alert and sharp.

"Harry knows about the dragons," she said as soon as they settled against the armchairs. "He somehow turned himself invisible, but I was able to follow him down to the hut with the big guy. He took Madam Maxine and showed her the dragons. Harry was following, I'm sure of it. Then he came up here and talked to some guys head in the fire about how to do get past it, but the guy was more interested in the Durmstrang headmaster."

They all stared at her for a moment before Leo broke the silence. "What do you mean he talked to someone in the fire? And why was he worried about Karkaroff?" he asked, running his fingers nervously along the arm of the chair he was sitting in.

Annabeth sighed and leaned back against Percy. "It seemed kinda like an Iris message, but in a fire. Anyway, apparently this guy had a background to that evil guy who murdered Harry's parents and he thinks that putting Harry's name in the goblet was him working for him again or something."

They all fell silent for a minute before Frank spoke, "It doesn't matter. We have to focus on the first task and before that, breakfast."

Everyone nodded and they got up to head out of the room when Percy heard footsteps coming down the spiral staircase and Harry's head appeared. He saw the group preparing to leave and jogged over to them. "Percy, can I talk to you for a moment? It's kind of important."

Percy nodded and gestured for the rest of them to go on without him. Harry awkwardly shuffled from foot to foot as he waited for the portrait hole to close behind them. Percy turned toward Harry with a smile, even though he was fairly certain that he knew what he was about to tell him.

"Dragons," he said quickly, looking around as though someone was going to jump out and catch them. "I thought you should know. The first task is dragons." Percy tried to arrange his face into a surprised expression.

"Are you sure?" Percy asked, secretly glad that Harry knew the truth now. This meant that they would have an easier time preparing him for the task.

"Positive," Harry replied. "I'm going to tell Cedric. Fleur and Krum already know, so it's only fair, you know?" And Percy smiled slightly. He got it and he admired the integrity that Harry was showing in spite of the fact that many others would call it foolishness. He wasn't in this game to win it, not that way and Percy felt himself growing to admire this fourteen-year-old in a way he never thought he would. He saw himself in him.

"Good," he said, easily wrapping an arm around Harry's shoulders. Harry smiled and allowed himself to be led toward breakfast.

-page break-

Now that Harry knew about the first task, Percy felt the nerves he had been pushing aside beginning to poke through. He may act like he had everything figured out, but he had no idea how he was going to face a dragon without his sword. He couldn't even really use his powers unless he wanted to risk exposing them to the wizarding world. Still though, he watched with a small smile as Harry pulled Cedric aside for a word, waving off the others who were looking curious and concerned.

He and his friends joined Harry and Hermione in the library, desperately looking for something that could help either Harry or Percy complete the trials. They were striking up empty in book after book. Jason huffed angrily as he slammed yet another book closed and jerked to his feet. Piper looked at him questioningly when he started stalking toward the door, but he waved her off. Hermione barley looked up from her most recent search, but Harry looked around at them all, apparently expecting one of them to follow him.

"He'll be okay," Piper said easily. "A lot of us aren't really very good readers, so we have a tendency to get frustrated easily. Especially when we're on a time limit. He just needs to cool down and take a break, then he'll be back."

Harry nodded and reluctantly turned back to his own page. Percy grunted softly massaging his eyes slightly before refocusing next to him. Annabeth offered him a sympathetic smile that he didn't see, but Hermione glanced up in time to see the mixture of pride, love, and fear in her eyes.

Jason sunk down the wall in one of the many corridors of the huge castle and put his head in his hands. He wasn't sure how long he sat there but just as he had regained his composure, he felt someone slide down the wall a little further down the corridor. He lifted his head and met the cautious blue eyes of Ronald Weasley. Jason rolled his eyes and made to stand up when Ron's hand caught his arm.

"Please, don't leave," Ron said pleadingly, his voice cracking slightly on the first word. This moment must be costing him some sort of pride. "I wanted to ask you something." Jason settled back against the wall, crossed his arms, and gave Ron an unimpressed raised eyebrow for his trouble. After what he had done, he wasn't going to be making this any easier on him.

"Well, you and Percy seem close," Ron started uncertainty, releasing his arm and edging slightly closer. "I guess I was just wondering how you deal with him getting the spotlight. I know that I messed up, but I just feel angry and I don't know what to do about it."

Jason relaxed slightly, his anger softening at the boy next to him. In a weird way, he almost understood. "Percy and I weren't always close. For a while, when we first met, we were constantly competing with each other. But we were kinda pushed together and we realized we worked well together. We each have our talents and we made it work. Since we've become friends, I watched him go through some things I never want to experience myself. I also saw what it did to him. I realized that the fact that he needed me was more important to me than anything that anybody else could say."

Ron listened to what Jason was saying with rapt attention. He had a frown on his face and his eyes were distraught, but Jason pretended he didn't see it. "But how can I just be okay with it? I don't know how to let it go," he asked, looking truly conflicted as he gripped the wall tightly.

Jason sighed slightly. "You think about what I said and it will come to you, eventually. Just... Just think about it," he said as he pulled himself off the wall and headed back toward the library.

-page break-

The seven demigods weren't sure what happened, but Harry had come back demanding that Hermione help him master the summoning charm so that he could fly against the dragon. It really was the best idea that any of them had heard. Hermione, Harry, Frank, and Hazel spent the few days before the task in different classrooms helping him practice. The rest of them spent hours pouring over books once Chiron admitted that he wasn't exactly sure that any of the spells Dumbledore had described would be in Percy's limited abilities.

It was the day before the trial when Annabeth let out a huff and said, "Why don't you just use your powers and pretend it's magic. I mean, we told them you were big in water magic anyway, why not use it."

Percy felt a spark of hope while Piper looked at Annabeth thoughtfully. "But what if there isn't any water near them. You can't summon it like Harry is with his broom, can you?" she asked, idly toying with the pages in the book in front of her.

Annabeth shook her head, looking disappointed as her shoulders slumped. "I don't know. Probably not," she admitted as she wilted forward.

"Maybe not but you can create it," Jason shouted, eagerly pulling out one of the books from his bag on the floor. "Why didn't we think of it before? It was right in front of us this whole time."

-page break-

Jason was asleep that night when he was brutally awoken by a loud moan through the dormitory. He threw off the covers and padded softly over to Percy's bed in the dark. He shook Percy's shoulder and even though it didn't wake the other demigod, he relaxed and mumbled to himself before rolling to his other side and sinking into the mattress with a sigh. Jason smiled slightly and walked back toward his own bed when a quiet voice made him jump.

"You saw what it did to him?" Ron asked tentatively. Jason looked quickly back at Percy before he answered.

"Yeah," he said simply as he got back in bed. He saw Ron lay back on his bed and even though he couldn't see his face, he thought he was starting to get it. He found the image of his father in his mind. Please, father. Please let things go well tomorrow.

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The next morning rose bright and beautiful and completely nerve-wracking for the champions housed in the tower. Neither ate much breakfast, despite obvious needling. When the professor came to usher them down to the small champions tent beside the arena, they both went with deep breaths and half-hearted waves of farewell. Percy let Bagman pull Harry aside with a curious look, but he made his way to the tent at McGonagall's insistence.

When Bagman and Harry finally entered the tent, Percy's stomach was in knots. "Well, now that we're all here—time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag"—he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them—"from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different—er—varieties you see. And I have to tell you something else too… ah, yes… your task is to collect the golden egg!"

They all sat there in relative silence while they listened. Eventually, hundreds of feet could be heard over the sound of their own breathing. Percy could hear the excited babble taking place and thought that he might be sick. This was all just a sport to them. It was all just for fun.

Harry was in the same boat. He was barely aware of what was happening around him until Bagman opened the purple sack. "Ladies first," he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour.

She reached in and pulled out the model of the Welsh Green Dragon with a number two around it's neck. Harry recognized it instantly from when Hagrid had shown him the dragons. Krum reached in the bag next and pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball with a number 3. Cedric went next and pulled out the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout and the number one.

Having narrowed it down to two dragons, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail with the number four. It stretched it's wings as he looked down at it and bared it's miniscule fangs. Harry let out a sharp breath as Bagman turned to Percy, who let out a deep lungful air as he reached into the bag and withdrew the final dragon: the yellow Peruvian Vipertooth with a small number five around it's neck.

"Well, there you are!" said Bagman. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go to the enclosure when you hear the whistle, all right?"

A short while after he had left the tent, there was a shrill whistle and a green faced Cedric walked bravely out of the tent. They all listened with growing horror to Bagman's echoing voice as Cedric faced the dragon. Eventually, he retrieved his egg and Fleur was marching out of the tent despite her obvious fear. Soon, she too had completed the task. They both watched Krum exit the tent and neither of them said a word until the fourth whistle blew. When Harry got up on shaking legs to go face his dragon, Percy shot out a hand and grabbed his arm squeezing it comfortingly. "You got this," he said, smiling shakily at him. Harry grimaced at him but offered him a vague "good luck" before Percy was alone once more in the tent.


	9. Chapter 9

Percy sat in the large tent with bated breath, waiting to hear how Harry did. He both wanted Harry to quickly succeed in the task before he could get hurt and to never finish so that he wouldn’t have to go. Percy had never had to wait for his fights. They tended to be spontaneous and unplanned, so he was largely unaccustomed to the nerve-wracking waiting. He could hear the moment that Harry entered the enclosure as the crowd erupted into a wide variety of noises. He heard Bagman announce his name and the type of dragon that he was fighting. There was unnerving lack of commentary for a moment before Bagman was shouting once again.   
“He’s summoned his broom. A remarkably interesting tactic. I suppose he is going to try to fly around the dragon…” The crowd erupted in noise, several screaming so loudly they almost drowned out Bagman’s enhanced voice. “Great Scott, he can fly! Are you watching this Mr. Krum?... Oh, no!” There was a general dissenting noise from the crowd and Percy tensed up despite himself as Bagman continued speaking. “Yes, it looks like he took a bit of a hit there on the shoulder, but he seems to have recovered quickly…Hmmm, he seems to be attempting to get her to follow him now, gutsy move if you ask me…” Percy heard the crowd getting louder and he heard an eruption of cheering. He knew what had happened before Bagman even started yelling about it with pride punctuating every word. “Look at that! Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is the quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!”   
Percy couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. Harry had performed the task immensely well and quickly to boot. He listened as they gave out the scores and wished he knew how Harry had fared against the others but he can’t have done too badly based on the reaction of the crowd, though there was one score that resulted in a lot of angry outbursts that Percy could hear quite clearly. And then before he knew it, there was a whistle.   
Percy got to his feet and walked out of the tent. He walked along the path to the enclosure and paused slightly before entering. He took a deep breath and walked in with his head held high. If he had any fear, you couldn’t see it. Percy caught sight of the yellow Vipertooth with a stack of eggs between his gnarled legs and narrowed his eyes. He took in the golden egg amidst the grey ones and tried desperately to tune out the crowd surrounding him.   
Percy took a step forward and the dragon’s big green eyes moved to settle on him. Percy raised the stick of wood in his hands and tried to resist the urge to get riptide out from where it was pressing into his leg. He felt ridiculous. The Dragon stared at him as he took another step closer to the eggs at her feet. She apparently decided that was one step too close as she leaned forward and let out a stream of fire. Percy leaped behind a rock and avoided getting broiled alive by inches. He tried desperately to focus and muttered the spell, looking at his wand expectantly.   
Nothing happened.   
Percy shook his head slightly and said the spell slightly louder, staring at his wand and keeping one eye on the Dragon that was watching him carefully. Again, nothing happened. Percy could feel his heartbeat rising as white noise began to fill his ears. He desperately shouted the spell one more time, nearly wilting when nothing happened with his wand. All his scream accomplished was aggravating a very suspicious Dragon. Percy heard movement and turned in time to see a great clawed foot descending on him. He rolled out of the way and the Vipertooth took that opportunity to let loose another great burst of fire.   
Percy was unaware of anything except searing pain for several moments as heat washed over him. For a minute, he was back there, drinking liquid fire and feeling it scorch his very bones. When it subsided slightly, he felt as though his skin was melting off. He looked down and saw his robes alight with many shades of fire. He quickly smothered the flames with aching hands and looked at the irritated flesh underneath. Percy took a shuddering breath and staggered up to his feet. The dragon moved toward him, and Percy acted on instinct. He fumbled with his pockets and ripped out his sword, uncapping it and watching as it extended to its full length. He felt the familiar weight in his hand, and he staggered toward the dragon. It let out a menacing roar and Percy’s heart sank. He was in no condition to sword fight this monster.   
He looked at his wand still tightly gripped in his hand. Please, he begged. Please let this work. The spell was mumbled in a voice laced with fatigue and pain, but Percy almost shouted in relief as he saw a clear spring of water erupting out of its tip. It fell in front of him and Percy let it wrap in front of him like a shield. He stepped toward the Dragon again and watched as it unleashed another wave of fire at him. He watched as it harmlessly contacted the water swirling in front of him, steaming slightly. Percy set a jolt of water straight into the Dragon’s eye and watched as it staggered backwards slightly. Percy saw that it was about to step on the eggs and sent a wave of water that knocked her foot away from her children. He watched as she crashed to the ground before quickly scooping up the golden egg. He let the water wash over him but focused on getting wet and quickly prayed to his father that somehow, he could keep his cover. He felt his wounds healing until they suddenly stopped, leaving irritated skin instead of melted, and scorched flesh. He smiled slightly and finally took in the roaring of the crowd around him. He could hear screaming and he turned dumbly in every direction until a hand closed around his arm and tugged him toward a tent set up next to the enclosure. Percy looked next to him and smiled at Jason’s proud smirk. “You did it!! They have a nurse here to check you over and then you’ll go get your scores.”   
Percy opened his mouth to respond when he felt a weight smack into him, nearly bowling him over. He smiled into the mess of blonde hair and wrapped his arms around Annabeth, finally releasing the tension he had been carrying all morning. He knew that however things worked out, he was alive. And Harry was alive. And that was really all that mattered.


End file.
